James Dawson

James Dawson is an Assistant Professor (Research) at the Research Centre for Peace and Security, specializing in political science with a regional focus on Central and Eastern Europe. His research examines democratization processes, democratic backsliding, and the interplay between liberalism and nationalism in post-communist contexts. Dawson employs ethnographic and discursive methodologies to analyze political transformations, with particular emphasis on Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, and Serbia.

His primary research interests include:

• Democratization and Europeanization in post-communist Europe
• Ethnographic fieldwork and discursive methodologies
• Evaluation frameworks for democratic systems
• Autocratic regimes and revolutionary movements
• Comparative analysis of liberalism across Eastern and Western Europe
• EU policy-making and its impact on democratic development

Dawson's scholarly publications demonstrate a consistent focus on democratic transitions in Central and Eastern Europe, with recent work examining academic pluralism, cultural liberalism as an antidote to democratic erosion, and critical reassessments of 'democratic backsliding' frameworks. His research employs comparative case studies, discourse analysis, and political ethnography to challenge conventional narratives about democratization.

He is currently accepting PhD students for research projects involving ethnographic fieldwork and discursive methodologies, particularly concerning democratization, autocratic regimes, and Europeanization processes in the region.